Away on vacation - Travel free resources » Kid Travel

Discount Vacations In Orlando

Maxx — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 05:50:55 +0000

Orlando, Florida is a great travel destination for families with kids. There are many activities and attractions that kids will enjoy. The weather is warm and the atmosphere is relaxed. What is even better is that a family can have an Orlando vacation at a discount price.

The first way to achieve this is to contact the Orlando Convention and Visitors' Bureau (the CVB). They have information on hotels, attractions, vacation packages, and more. This year, at least, they are offering a Magicard. This allows the holder and five other family members to get discounts in and around Orlando.

There are Magicard discounts on tickets to all the attractions kids will want to enjoy. What's more, there are price reductions in services such as meals for kids and child care. Discounts for some of the higher-priced hotels can be cut nearly in half by using the Magicard.

Getting a Magicard is as easy as going on the internet to the CVB and printing one off. There are some things to remember about the Magicard, though. There are blackout periods for use of it. Be sure and check to see that you can use the card on your vacation. Also, you will not get the discount if you don't mention the Magicard at the time you make your reservations.

The CVB also lists area attractions and accommodations. They offer multi-park packages for a greater value to those who want to visit more than one theme park. There are about a dozen different theme parks to choose from on these packages.

An official Orlando Travel Counselor can be contacted through the CVB. This person can answer any remaining questions you have about the attractions, accommodations, and events in Orlando. They will get you good deals in the city, but not necessarily the best deals. You should still comparison shop to make sure to get the best prices.

You can also go on the internet and get a seven day Magic Your Way base ticket to Disney World. This ticket averages out to about thirty-two dollars a day as compared to about seventy-two dollars a day if you purchased the tickets separately at the gate. All you have to do is print a voucher and hand it in at the attraction.

To find entire package deals with airfare, hotel accommodations, and tickets to attractions, you can go on the internet, too. You can find these at sites such as Expedia and Orbitz. Lesser known travel sites such as USA Travel Mart often have the best deals. It pays to do plenty of research.

Occasionally, you will find it less expensive to buy each part of the package individually. You may have to visit different sites for each aspect of your vacation. If you choose to go this route, be sure that all your plans mesh. It takes more planning and energy, but sometimes it is worth the effort.

There are times that a travel agent can find discounted vacations in Orlando for you and your children. If you want to let someone else do the legwork, you may want this option. However, if you really want the good deals, you usually have to search the internet and elsewhere for yourself.

Children Traveling Alone For The Holidays

Maxx — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 01:17:55 +0000

Due to the number of non-traditional families in our society, it is common for custody agreements to require children to travel over the holidays to be with the other parent. This is an issue that many parents have to deal with in the best way possible. If the parents live in close proximity they can easily drive them to the agreed upon destination. If the divorce is amicable it may even be possible for each parent to drive half way for the exchange of the children.

However, it isn't always possible for parents to be able to do this for one reason or another and that means that children will end up traveling alone for the holidays. You want to make this as smooth of a process for them as you possibly can. Make sure you talk to your child about the process and they know exactly what will be taking place. It is important that you talk to them about not going with strangers for any reason while they are traveling alone for the holidays.

Make sure you pack your child plenty of activities for them to entertain themselves during the flight. It is a good idea to pack them drinks and snacks too in case they get hungry. Never leave your child until they have boarded the type of transportation they are taking. If there is a layover or a cancellation they will be left alone.

If possible send your child with a cell phone they can use in the case of emergencies. You should also pack a list of contact phone numbers with them and any medical information that could be useful in the event of an accident. Avoid placing children who are flying alone for the holidays on those flights that have layovers if you can help it. In the event that it is necessary make sure a flight attendant will be escorting them to that location.

The safest mode of transportation for you child if they are traveling alone to visit the other parent for the holidays is to book them a flight. It may be more expensive but you will be more confident about them going alone. If possible don't send your child alone on a flight if they have never been on an airplane before. The stress of it can be too much for them to handle.

Let the airline know at the time of booking that your child will be traveling alone. They will keep a close eye on the child during the flight and find out who they have to be delivered to at the airport. This person will need to have their photo ID with them even if the child knows them in order to follow safety procedures. Most airlines consider a minor to be traveling alone for the holidays if they are between 5 and 15 years of age. Younger children aren't allowed to travel alone.

It is against the rules for children under 8 years of age to travel alone on Amtrak. Those between the ages of 8 and 15 may travel alone as long as it is not an overnight trip. They must reach their destination no later than 9 pm. The child isn't allowed to transfer trains either or to get off at any locations other than the one printed on their ticket.

The child will be interviewed by a staff member when they are brought to the train station. If the child doesn't appear to be mature enough to travel alone they will not be allowed on the train and the ticket price will be refunded. If they are allowed to board the parent must sign a waiver releasing Amtrak from all liability. The child will be issued a wristband so that all staff members will know they are traveling alone.

Greyhound doesn't allow children under 8 years of age to travel alone either. This isn't an option at all of the bus ride is more than 250 miles at Greyhound has that limit on the number of miles a child can be on the bus. To get off for any reason at a rest area or bus stop the child must be accompanied by the bus driver. They are also required to sit in the seat immediately behind the bus driver.

Bus Touring With Kids For Less

Maxx — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 18:58:55 +0000

Taking a tour on a bus is a great way to see the sights in any city you wish to visit. It may be a city nearby, or it may be a city anywhere in the world. It might be a tour that lasts less than a day or more than a week. No matter what kind of bus tour you take, you can find ways to bring your children along at discounted rates.

You can contact the visitors' center in any city you are considering visiting. The easiest way to do this is to look the city up on the internet under "visitors' center." Doing so will open up a vast array of activities to do in the various cities.

Some of these activities are bus tours. At the visitors' center sites themselves, you might find discounts on bus tours for kids. Even though these bus tours may not be city sponsored, they will still be listed as available activities.

San Diego offers some bus tours through Contact Tours. The prices are from about twenty-five to about fifty dollars for adults. Kids get a discount. Prices for them are from twelve to twenty-four dollars.

San Francisco also offers bus tours. Instead of using large buses, they use small shuttle buses. The prices are over sixty dollars for adults and around fifty dollars for kids. These are five hour tours and they include the cost of a ferry ride.

If you are going to Las Vegas, you might be looking for some activities you can share with your kids. A bus ride to the Grand Canyon would be an interesting mini-trip. If you check with travel sites relating to Las Vegas, you can find them.

One, for example, is a fifteen-hour bus trip from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon and back with scenic stops and stops for lunch and snacks. The price is just over one hundred dollars for adults. However, kids go for under ninety dollars and kids two years old and under go for free.

Global Coach Tours can be found on the internet. It is a site that offers several-day bus tours to international cities by several different companies. They offer many discounts. There is a special discount of five percent off for children and teens.

They also offer discounts for frequent travelers, advance payment, tour combinations, and groups. These price reductions are from five to ten percent off. You can check other bus tour sites and find the same types of discounts.

One thing to take note of, though, is that you must book and pay for your tour in full within the given time to get the advance payment reduction. Also, if prices change between the time you pay and the time you go, your price will change as well. You may get a refund if prices go down. If they go up, you'll have to pay more.

For ordinary bus travel that doesn't include tours, you can still get discounts. Check with the major bus carriers. Greyhound offers a forty percent discount for kids between the ages of two to eleven. Two children can travel with each adult for this reduced fare. Also, children under two ride free.

The whole family can spend quality time on a bus tour. It is also an inexpensive way to get from one place to another. Knowing about kids' discounts is an important part of any family's bus travel plans.

Cruises For Kids An Unexpected Value

Maxx — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:27:55 +0000

It isn't unusual for people to think of taking a cruise as an unobtainable luxury. The truth is that if you add up all you spend on other vacations, cruising is actually a better value. There are even special rates and deals for families with kids.

For a very inexpensive cruise deal, contact Discovery Cruise Lines. They offer a one day cruise from Florida to the Bahamas and back. You can choose to stay overnight on the island. If you do, you complete your round trip on the next day. The price for the complete trip is less than one hundred dollars for adults and about half that for kids.

Bahamas trips are often good deals for family cruise vacations. The weather is warm and usually sunny. There are plenty of activities for adults and youngsters alike. Besides all this, there are good prices on trips to the Bahamas.

To find the best deals, you could go to the usual travel comparison websites. Hotwire, Orbitz, or Expedia might have good rates. For cruises, there are special travel comparison websites devoted especially to that form of vacation.

Some of the discounts available are for last-minute markdowns. If you want to take advantage of these, you will need to be ready to travel without much notice. There are also discounts for those who can book their cruise at least ninety days in advance.

If you do book in advance, you will want to get travel insurance. Childhood illnesses can ruin the best made plans. With kids involved there can be all sorts of complications. So, it is only good sense to protect yourself. It won't be such a good deal if you lose all or most of the money you have put down.

If you want to use a particular cruise line, ask if they have child rates. If they don't, then ask them if they have good rates for third and fourth cabin mates. These are usually from fifty to eighty percent off the standard fare. In many cases, this is as good as or better than a so-called child rate.

Contact Disney Cruises to find out what discounts they have available. They are a kid-friendly organization. They offer kids' rates for children twelve and under. Sometimes they have promotions where the rates are even lower than usual.

There are incentives, such as onboard credits, for booking a cruise online with Disney. They also offer family reunion packages that come with special rates. Vacationers with family reunions also get reunion t-shirts and other perks.

Some cruise lines offer kids-cruise-free promotions from time to time. Kids under two go free on many cruise lines any time. Some lines give special discounts for teens traveling in their own cabin when their parents' cabin is next door.

One area of price difference among the different cruise lines is the amount you pay for refreshments. On some cruises, all the kids' soft drinks are complimentary. Some get a card or wristband ID to get drinks for a nominal fee for the entire cruise. This can be priced at fewer than ten dollars to over forty for a seven-day cruise.

Going on a cruise with your kids isn't really any more of an extravagance than many other vacations if you add it all up. You also get the advantage of beautiful destinations. And, if you look for the specials, you can have the experience for even less.

Hotel Savings For Families

Maxx — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 06:27:55 +0000

Sometimes hotel costs are a part of a package. At all-inclusive resorts, they are the backbone of the vacation. A hotel may be an important part of the vacation, or it may just be a place to spend the night. Either way, hotel savings are readily available.

If you have used Holiday Inn before you had the children, you may know that all children stay free. This includes those as old as nineteen, as long as they stay in their parents' room. You can get this discount by calling the hotel chain directly.

Some Holiday Inns have KidSuites. These hotels are free for kids, plus you can often get good deals on the adult prices. They are special rooms for children that are contained within the parents' suite. They are often geared to younger children.

One such hotel is their Nickelodeon Family Suites. These suites come with special sleeping quarters for young children. The hotel also has children's activities. Each room is even equipped with a game system such as PlayStation 2.

For a variety of deals, try Choice Hotels International's website. There are rooms where kids eighteen and under stay for free. They must be in the room with their parents or grandparents. Also, be aware that they are only free if no additional bedding is required.

This website sometimes offers travel discounts for friends and families of Little Leaguers of fifteen percent off. There is no need to try to prove your status with the team, either. Check the website to make sure the deal is on. Then, you just need to mention it when you make your reservations.

A guarantee for the best rate on the internet is also available through this site. Find the best price you can through Expedia, Orbitz, Priceline, or any other travel pricing site. Then you fill out a form and send it to them. They will match the best price and give you ten percent off.

There are all kinds of accommodations that use this same concept of "kids stay free." If you do some research on the internet or consult your travel agent, you will find them. There are bed and breakfast inns that have such rates. Even resorts in such luxurious destinations as Hawaii have deals like this.

If you are looking for a hotel near Disneyland with a kids-for-free policy, make sure your child is considered a kid by the hotel. Disneyland has a low cut-off for kids' rates. So do many of these hotels. A kid is often considered to be only someone between the ages of three and nine.

Sometimes you travel with your kids for reasons that are less than fun. If a family member is in the hospital, you may need to stay at a nearby hotel. In this case, you can call the hospital for information. They may be able to lead you to discounts at hotels in close proximity to the hospital.

In any case, there is no need to pay the full rate for children's hotel rooms. A little research goes a long way. There are great hotel prices for kids wherever you turn.

Disneyland For Less

Maxx — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 11:42:55 +0000

Children who have never had the pleasure of going to Disneyland usually have the dream of someday going there. Just the mention of a vacation to that destination will make their eyes light up and their imaginations run wild. The park isn't cheap, but you can use discounts to make your children's Disneyland dreams come true.

You could go to the park and pay at the gate, by the day. You could, that is, if you wanted to spend the most amount of money possible. One way to get better deals is to get them online directly from Disney. Go to Disneyland's official website and check the ticket deals. You can save as much as fifty dollars per ticket.

One service that the Disney site offers is a vacation planner that specializes in Disney vacations. This agent will help you explore all the package deals available. These could include airfare, hotels, and tickets. Once you decide, the planner will book your vacation for you.

The Southern California City Pass allows holders to visit several theme parks with one pass. The pass is good for fourteen days beginning on the first day it is used. The first days, up to three days, are spent at Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure. Then the pass holder gets admission to attractions like the San Diego Zoo or Sea World on other days.

The combined prices of all the attractions for an adult would be $329, and for a kid, $260. The City Pass prices are $235 for adults and $189 for kids. To get the savings, however, you need to make full use of your pass. If you skip some of the attractions, you might as well have bought the tickets individually.

Trips advertised on auction sites such as EBay or craigslist often seem too good to be true. They usually are, because the tickets clearly state that they are nonrefundable. If someone has used a part of the trip, you won't be able to use the remaining portion.

Most of the legitimate good discounts for Disneyland come from travel websites, Disney sources, or travel agents. You can usually find discount tickets at ARES Travel at a good price. This is a travel service that makes itself available over the internet. Be sure to figure in the ten dollar FedEx charge they add in for shipping.

If you don't have an AAA membership, it might be the time to get one. It may allow you to spend less on hotel rooms and other aspects of your Disneyland vacation. Disney Visa also offers discounts. You can get them just for acquiring the card before you book your trip.

Disney has various packages that include resort hotel rooms, tickets, and sometimes airfare. They also offer "Good Neighbor" vacation packages where you stay in a more inexpensive hotel a few blocks from Disneyland. Many of these hotels have free evening activities for the kids.

For vacation packages, it is helpful to know which seasons of the year are the most expensive. Spring, Thanksgiving, and Christmas vacations are all peak times. You probably won't get good deals for these days.

The best discounts can be had in the value season. This includes the very first of the year, May and June, and September through mid-November. If you book in advance for these days, you should be able to get a fantastic deal. If you search the internet travel and city sites, you might just find yourself and your kids on a dream vacation in Disneyland.

Discount All Inclusive And Resort Vacations With Kids

Maxx — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 22:48:55 +0000

Many think of all-inclusive vacations as a break from the kids. Resort vacations may seem too expensive to share with your children. However, with the discounts available, these types of vacations can be enjoyed with the kids along as easily as without them.

Look on the internet for resorts that offer discounts for kids. Some resorts give children a discount identification card when they arrive at the resort. These cards are good for free or discounted admissions to attractions and free food when with a paying adult. These discount cards are often available for kids of ages through twelve years old.

Read the descriptions of all-inclusive vacation packages to see if kids are free. Often they stay, eat, and play free. Sometimes there is free child care. There might even be nannies for one-on-one attention as a part of the overall price. These amenities can come with surprisingly inexpensive vacation plans.

Some of these packages include physical and learning activities for the small children. Teens and preteens can enjoy special nature and tourism activities. Besides all this, these vacations give the adults free time to spend as they choose.

If you plan an all-inclusive vacation, go to a travel website and do your research. Make sure you take note of whether the price quoted is for the whole group, or per person of that size group. Often, the rate quoted will be per adult, but that will include accommodations for two kids.

Be aware of what is included in the price given and what is not included. Usually, there are services and fees that are not included. Of course, telephone charges are for you to pay extra. Room service may or may not come with the deal.

You might have to pay a hotel charge of around thirty dollars a day. There are airport fees and governmental travel fees. There is even a September 11th security fee of 10 dollars.

Look for resorts that bill themselves as "family-friendly" resorts. These resorts will go out of their way to give families discounts. They are also good at providing activities for children and teens.

Some resorts cater to single parents. They offer them the child care or nanny service with their packages, of course. They also don't penalize them for traveling alone. This is important because some resorts' prices are based on two adults traveling with the kids.

If you would like help deciphering all the options available on the internet, a travel agent might be for you. Actually, travel agents can come up with very good deals on resort vacations from time to time. A good travel agent can make your life easier.

Ask your travel agent as many questions as you need to. It is probably best to do a little research on the internet beforehand even if you are going to use an agent. This will make you a more informed consumer.

Then, ask your travel agent about resorts and all-inclusive vacations that cater to your family's individual needs. There is a variety of vacations. A knowledgeable agent should be able to point you in the right direction.

Resort and all-inclusive vacations can make for peaceful holidays away from work and school. There are several choices within this category that offer discounts or even free travel to kids. Whether you book your trip yourself or have a travel agent do it for you, it's best to do your research first.

Finding Cheap Train Tickets For Kids And Their Families

Maxx — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 11:22:55 +0000

People don't talk much about the railroad as a mode of transportation in the United States. Most of the country is more concerned with travel by car or by plane. In other countries, the train is a prominent part of the landscape. Almost anywhere you go, you can find cheap train tickets for kids.

The most popular train in the USA is Amtrak. On this railway, kids always ride for half price. This discount requires no special action except to inform the ticket counter that you are traveling with children. On top of that, there are additional discounts for children and their families.

Contact the branch of Amtrak that handles the area you wish to travel in and around. There are always region-specific deals to be had. For this reason, you will need to do some research at your local train station or on the internet to find out what part of the system you're dealing with.

Once you find that out, you can look for individual deals. For example, the Auto train, which services the Eastern part of the US, has a summer special where kids ride for free. This discount applies to up to two children ages two to fifteen traveling with an adult. Seven days notice is required.

The Downeaster is another Amtrak train. On it, there may be specials that allow kids to ride free on Sundays. For this promotion, you need to reserve three days in advance. There may be certain blackout dates.

Amtrak in Santa Barbara offers a Car Free Discount to those traveling in Northern California. This train relieves traffic congestion in the area. There is a 20 percent discount to all, and up to two children can ride for half price with an adult.

If you are going on a long trip, consider all the regional systems you will ride through. Then, you look up what specials they have. There will be a code for each special. You must give this code to get the special rate.

Also, in the US are such local trains as the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad. Look up its website and you will find short trips offered at half price for children. Those under two go free. There are further discounts for school and scout groups.

The Canadian railway VIA has special summer discounts for kids. They always allow kids under two to ride free. Kids of the ages of two to eleven ride for half price. Kids twelve to seventeen will get a student discount.

If you want to travel in Europe, you can take advantage of a well-developed train system. What's more, most of the routes offer discounts to children. In some cases, kids as old as fifteen travel free with adults. Other railways offer half price to the older kids and free rides to the younger ones.

Many of the discounts on railroad travel in Europe come in the form of passes. Before you get a pass, make sure you are saving money with it. Sometimes it is cheaper to buy individual point to point tickets. It usually depends on how far you intend to travel.

Railroad travel is a different kind of adventure than any other mode of transportation. Kids will be excited to ride on a train for their first time. They will not be disappointed. If you do your homework, you won't be disappointed in the prices you get either.

Low Cost Admissions To Historical Sites

Maxx — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 17:40:55 +0000

A long-standing tradition in many families on car trips is to stop at historical sites. This encourages children to take an interest in the past. You can take time from any vacation to go to historical landmarks, whether your main travel is by plane, train, or boat. The trick is to find discounted admission fees for the kids.

The first order of business is to find out what historical landmarks are in the states you are going to visit. You can do this by going to the internet site of the National Parks Systems. This site gives a thorough list of historic places of all kinds for all fifty states and for some nearby islands as well.

The National Parks site lists National Historic Parks which are a network of natural and historic places, and National Historic Sites which deal with only one locale. It lists such National Memorials as Mount Rushmore, but also some you may never have heard of. It also lists National Battlefields.

Once you have the name of an historic site you want to visit, you can search the internet for that specific site. If there is a webpage for that historical landmark, it may have offers for discounts or coupons you can print off to use there. If not, you may have to do a little more research.

One way to learn more is to go to a state's Visitor's Center. These are usually located as you enter the state on a major road or highway. Signs often give directions for how to get there if the Center is not located in plain sight of the highway.

The Visitor's Center staff is usually more than happy to share with you all the information they know or have on local historic landmarks. If there are any discounts they will probably know about them. If there are any coupons, they will probably have access to them.

Sometimes, there is no one manning the center. In this case, you will have to sort through the brochures for yourself. This isn't as easy, and you will not have the insider's perspective. Try anyway. It's better than no information.

You can also visit the websites of any of the different states' tourism information. This will give a complete list of all the historic landmarks in the entire state. It often gives a brief description.

Sometimes the landmarks are listed under the city or area they are located in. This presents a problem if you don't know where they are. Most states will list discounts and special offers along with each landmark. Some will have printable coupons.

Of course, the tried and true method for finding historical landmarks to visit is an easy one. You just travel along with your eyes open, looking out for interesting places to learn about the past. If this is your way of doing things, it is certainly a fun experience.

The trouble is that it is often hard to find discounts, special offers, or coupons when traveling this way. Ask anyway. Sometimes there are discounts that are available but will only be given if you bring up the subject.

Your kids may act like they are too bored with history to want to bother with seeing these bits of the past. However, if you expose them to history that they can see, touch, and feel, they will come away excited. Finding discounts just makes it easier to visit more landmarks.

Cheap Tickets To Unusual Places

Maxx — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 07:59:55 +0000

Children love to be in on the secret, don't they? Whenever there is something different or uncommon they want to be the first to tell their friends about it. If you can, it's fun to take time in your vacation to stop at some unusual spots.

Often you don't even know of any such places to find out about. There is a website sponsored by Theme Parks Online. This site lists theme parks in all the states. If you click on the links you get all kinds of information about each park.

Some of this information details the attractions at the park. Some of it is about park hours and seasons. The information you might find most interesting is the facts about discounts.

For instance, Legoland, in California, is a park with a unique theme. The site explains what the park is all about and what attractions are available. Then, it gives ticket information.

Children always pay less than adults. Adults with AAA cards can get a discount of ten dollars per person per day for their group. The second day or subsequent days are always cheaper than the first day. Look for deals like this at any park.

Hershey's Park is a place that most people have heard of but fewer people have actually seen. Its theme, unusual for a park, is candy. If you look at the Theme Parks Online website, you will find deals for this park as well.

If you want to get more information, you can go to the Pennsylvania Visitor's Center, or their tourism bureau to find out more. You can often find unpublished specials by going straight to the source and calling Hershey's Park itself.

Ordinarily, children go to Hershey's Park for about half the price as adults. Note, however, that they consider kids to be only those of the ages of three to eight. A nine year old, to them, is an adult.

Branson, Missouri is becoming more popular with many people, especially the older ones. There are things for kids to do there as well. Silver Dollar City is one of these activities.

Silver Dollar City is a combination of amusements. There are demonstrations of all sorts of folk art. There is glass blowing, rope making, and candle dipping, for example. Kids may find these displays fascinating.

They will certainly have fun at the other part of the park. This offers the thrill of the modern amusement park type rides. There are also two other parks in Branson that partner with Silver Dollar City to host a City Hopper Pass.

Kids' tickets generally cost about ten dollars less than adults'. However, there are discounts to be had by going online. There are also coupons that can be printed. You can print and buy your tickets online as well for further savings.

The supply of novelty theme parks is not quite endless. There are plenty of them, though. The best way to find out about them is to listen to people who have been to them. Then, look for discounted tickets to make your kids' adventures a little more affordable.